In the past, hydrocarbon processing industries have employed collection ponds, pits or tanks for various in-process fluids or waste streams. Many of these storage facilities for such fluids included fluids of varying densities where discreet layers were formed between various fluids. In some applications, a hydrocarbon layer would be found present above an aqueous layer. In other applications, the aqueous layer would contain hydrocarbons.
In the past, when it has been desired to remove the hydrocarbon rich layer floating on the top of a storage container floating suction lines have been used. The floating suction line usually comprised of a hose with a plurality of floatation devices tied directly to the hose. The open end of the hose would thus be suspended adjacent the top liquid level of the hydrocarbon layer. These floating suction lines could not be adapted to withdraw fluids at points other than the top most liquid level in the hydrocarbon layer.
It is an object of this invention to provide a floating suction line mechanism wherein fluids may be extracted at preselected and predetermined depths below the top most liquid surface.
It is a further object of this invention to combine the adjustable inlet feature with an aeration feature. The aeration feature would be useful for blowing compressed gas in an oil-water layer below a top most oil layer to assist hydrocarbon materials to float upwardly from the oil/water layer into the oil layer for ultimate withdrawal into a pump suction line.